title: Conventional wound management versus a closed suction irrigation method for infected laparotomy wound--a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a closed suction irrigation method for the management of infected laparotomy wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study on consecutive patients with infected laparotomy wounds managed in a single tertiary referral hospital from January 2004 to March 2009. The wounds were laid open, debrided and cleansed with hydrogen peroxide, povidone iodine and normal saline. The wounds were either conventionally treated with normal saline dressings followed by secondary suturing when healthy granulation tissues were formed (the Control group) or by the closed suction irrigation method after suturing the wound (the Study Group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 70 patients in the Study Group and 60 patients in the Control Group. The hospital stay (mean ± SD, 9.2 ± 0.1 vs. 20.5 ± 0.6 days, P < 0.001) and time to wound healing (mean ± SD, 8.1 ± 0.1 vs. 18.5 ± 0.6 days, P < 0.001) were significantly better in the Study Group than in the Control Group. The re-infection rate was also significantly lower in the Study Group (7.1% vs. 21.7%, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Encouraging results were obtained with the use of the closed suction irrigation method for infected laparotomy wounds. The closed suction irrigation method decreased hospital stay and allowed early rehabilitation. The findings of our study need to be substantiated in large-scale randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, Guang Dong, China. zzjun@fsyyy.com
authors.forename: Zuo Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.forename: Eric C H
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Qing Han
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Huan Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wan Yee
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Feng Jie
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D058107:Abdominal Wound Closure Techniques; D000328:Adult; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000628:therapy*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride